Murilee Martin

I've got a Custom Van Pact with several friends; if any one of us obtains a custom van, all the others must get one as well. Early Econoline with a 6" chop and 460 for me, of course.

But choosing the type of van is far less important than choosing the artwork that goes on the van. The van builder can dink around with accessories for a while— sure, you need the 23-channel CB radio, Sparkomatic 8-track player, and matching 4-footer to fit in the console's Bong Holster— but eventually you'll need to hire that airbrush artist and get some spraying going on. My van's mural will likely incorporate elements from all the traditional van-mural genres: desert/forest/beach sunset, knights in armor, Mars base, dolphins, super-pneumatic bomber-nose-art babes, the works. How about yours?

While you're pondering this crucial decision, it might be helpful to watch a drunken, protruding-beergutted Charles Bukowski assisting with a wet-T-shirt contest at a van show: